


a simple thing (love never really is)

by Wow_girl1244



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Dorks in Love, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Identity Reveal, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, Post-Reveal Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Pre-Relationship, True Love, post-reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2020-07-25 01:51:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20024593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wow_girl1244/pseuds/Wow_girl1244
Summary: Ever since Marinette was a young girl, her mother had warned her about sweet, kind boys.Marinette wished she had known better than to ignore those warnings.





	a simple thing (love never really is)

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!!!  
> I hope you like this!!! I came up with the first lines a while back, but didn't actually write anything concrete until tonight.   
> Thank you for reading, please leave comments below!

Ever since Marinette was a young girl, her mother had warned her about sweet, kind boys. _They’ll steal your heart_ , she had said, _and you’ll never love anything else the way you love him._

When she was younger, Marinette had scoffed, foolishly. How could a boy steal her heart and love in such a way simply by being nice? It had seemed a ridiculous notion, and she had ignored her mother’s warning, befriending everyone in sight, kind boys included.

It really only made sense for her to learn her lesson by being walloped across the head by the forceful love she soon felt for the kindest boy she would ever know. It was like standing in an ocean, a clearly calm ocean, only for an unexpected wave to rise and steal you underneath.

That was how Adrien made her fall in love.

And then, as if the universe was mocking her for ignoring her mothers advice, it happened _again_. Ridiculous, truly, because who else would that second boy be but Chat Noir.

It was truly unfair, the way the universe mocked her. But such were the ways of love.

She fell, deeper and harder, and she woke up one day not minding at all. It was a terrifying thing to be in love, of course it was, but it was also wonderful. To care about someone else with so much selflessness, and to know their happiness was enough cause for her own was like nothing she’d ever felt before.

Marinette loved love. But…she also didn’t love the heartbreak she endured at times.

Some days, Marinette wanted to scream, wanted to cry, wanted to know why the universe made her fall in love with two boys who, it seemed, did not love her back.

But other days, there were certain moments where either Chat Noir or Adrien would do something so incredibly sweet it stole her breath and left her heart thundering, soul yearning for him long after he was gone. Love was such a wonderful thing.

Oh, how simple it would be, she complained to Tikki one day, if she loved one boy instead of two. Tikki has said nothing, simply giving her a knowing look.

Marinette had wondered what that knowing look meant, but figured she’d find out soon enough. Little did she know “soon enough” was a week later and she was not at all prepared to find out what Tikki had known before she did. She was not at all prepared to find out that maybe loving one boy instead of two would not be as simple as she had hoped. How could loving Chat Noir who was also Adrien ever be simple?

Marinette had been walking home after an Akuma attack, still flushed from Chat Noir brushing his lips against her knuckles after the battle when she heard a loud sound coming from an alleyway nearby her. She slowly crept around, curiosity at what the noise could be mixed with frustration at the idea of another Akuma so soon after the last. Instead, she saw Chat Noir standing there. She was about to go up and ask him what happened when he suddenly detransformed.

It was too sudden, too quick, and Marinette could do nothing but watch wide-eyed as Chat Noir turned into Adrien. She stumbled back and fell on the floor. It would have been silent to most, but Chat Noir was not like most people. No, even Adrien had the super-hero hearing.

Adrien immediately turned to her, eyes just as wide as hers were, and face quickly paling. “Did you…”

He didn’t finish, and she couldn’t answer, still too shocked by what had just occurred. Instead she quickly stood up.

“Marinette,” he said, taking a step toward her. He looked so tired all os a sudden, and all she wanted at that moment was to reverse time and not have seen this, if only because she knew it would bring him relief. “You can’t tell anyone.”

She let out a high-pitched giggle. Then she slapped her hands over her mouth, shaking her head. “Sorry, I’m not laughing at you, or at this, or at Chat, who is you, so I already said I’m not laughing at you. I don’t know why I said that again. What I mean is that-I’m not laughing-I mean I am, I did, but like not actually, like nothing’s funny-”

Adrien cut her off by taking another step towards her, but she took one back, not quite sure why she did that. A pained look came over his expression, but it quickly passed. “Please,” he repeated. “You can’t tell anyone.”

“Adrien,” Marinette said softly. “I would never betray you like that. I hope…” She looked down at her hands. “I know this isn’t what you would ever want to happen, and maybe I’m the last person you would ever tell, but I hope you know you can trust me. I would _never_ do anything to hurt you.”

There was silence for a moment, and she wondered if she overstepped, but then he said, “Marinette,” in such a gentle voice it nearly broke her. She looked up cautiously, and saw a mixture of emotions in his eyes-so much turmoil is his usually calm green eyes. Behind it all, she saw something else, something that frightened her. She saw him looking at her like he usually looked at Ladybug.

If she was being honest, Marinette knew exactly why that scared her, why it was so hard to have Chat Noir thing Ladybug was to perfect and now have Adrien look at her that why, but she didn’t particulate feel like being honest.

She waved at the area behind her and gave a strained smile. “I have to go, so it was nice seeing you, talk to you later, bye!” And then she was running away, leaving a very flustered Adrien calling her back.

She messed up. Marinette knew she messed up. Chat Noir-Adrien-had needed someone to talk to in that moment, and she had run away. Like a fool. Like a coward. And she hadn’t even told him she was Ladybug. She knew one betrayal was worse than the other, but to her they were equally as bad as the other.

None of that was as bad as the fact that neither Chat Noir nor Adrien tried to confront her. She could see the toll this whole situation was having on him. The bags underneath his eyes, the rumpled clothes, and the messy Chat-like hair all indicators of the stress he felt. Yet, he said nothing about out for next two days as guilt gnawed at Marinette every time he sent a sad look her way.

It was so him to be the type of person to give everyone else as much space as was needed, no matter the cost it had on him. It made her heart ache as he love for him grew impossibly larger.

Finally, she couldn’t tale it. She marched into class, earlier than anyone and sat down, waiting, a basket placed in front of her. It was so large she didn’t see him when he came in.

“Marinette,” came a soft, curious, and tired voice. “What is…this?”

She stood up suddenly, startling Adrien. “Oh. Hi.” It seemed no amount of practice of preparedness could actually ready her for talking to him.

Her heart thundered in her chest and she nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her. Ignoring the tug in her soul that pulled her to him, she held out the basket to him. “This is for you, actually.”

He stared at the basket, then at her, then the basket again. When his gaze returned to her once more, she fidgeted nervously. “You don’t have to…” Marinette placed it down and scrubbed her hands over her face. “This was not a good idea. Ugh, I’m such an idiot.”

Then she heard a crinkle. Peeking out of her hands, she saw Adrien reaching into the basket and take a bite out of one of the pastries. A smile appeared on his face and his eyes scrunched shut as he took a bite. Relief coursed through Marinette.

A moan came from him as his smile grew. He looked at her. “Did you make these?” There was a lightness in his voice, in his eyes, in his _soul_ that hadn’t been there before.

She nodded rapidly, a blush spreading over her face. “It’s an apology. Of sorts. Not nearly what you deserve.” She looked down at her hands as she walked around her desk to come in front of him. Taking a deep breath, allowing her bravery to settle, she met his gaze.

“Adrien, I’m so sorry. I can’t apologize enough. I didn’t…I wasn’t thinking about…that’s not quite true.” She paused, took a deep breath. “I just meant to say that of course it’s you. I was wondering how two boys could simultaneously be the kindest, most generous, smartest, bravest boy I know, It only makes sense that it was all you.”

His eyes widened and he seemed to light up from the inside out. He smiled at her, slowly, and it was the smile she loved the most, slightly crooked, a little shy, and absolutely enchanting.

Marinette continued, hoping he didn’t notice the tremor in her voice as she kept her eyes fixated on him. “I am so sorry for causing any worry these past few days. I was just…it was a shock. But I imagine it was much worse for you to have someone discover your identity and not be able to talk to them about it. I’m really sorry, Adrien. I hope you can forgive me.”

He shook his head, and somehow, with that shake, the gloomy cloud that had seemed to hover above him disappeared as well. In front of her was the same Adrien as always, happy and bright. She only wished he could understand that, to her, it didn’t matter what version he chose to show her. She would love him all the same.

“Marinette, it’s okay,” Adrien said, taking a step toward her. She didn’t dare move, as the warmth that always seemed to emit from him surrounded her. It was so intoxicating, she found herself tilting her head slightly in his direction.

He placed a gentle hand on her arm. “I understand. I could never be angry at you for that.” Then a flush came over him, but he didn’t move or look away. “Did you…mean that?”

Marinette felt heat spread through her as she nodded as well. “Of course I did.”

He said nothing for a moment, simply looked at her like he could see right into her. Maybe he could. Marinette found it was impossible to hide a single thing from him when she wanted nothing more than for him to see every single part of her.

A gasp escaped her as Adrien pulled her into his arms. His hands settled on her waist and she could feel their heat in her bones, two scalding imprints. She didn’t hesitate as she wrapped her arms around her neck, resting her head on his shoulder. Closing her eyes, she breathed him in. Nothing had ever felt better than being held and holding Adrien.

He seemed to collapse into her the slightest bit, and she knew he needed this, knew the past days had been hard. Running her fingers slightly through his hair, she felt him draw her in closer. “It’s okay, _mon chaton_ ,” she said softly. “I’ll never leave you again.”

It seemed the wrong thing to say, though, because he tensed and pulled back slightly. Not enough that they parted, but enough that she could look into his eyes as his mouth parted slightly and a single word escaped from his lips. “Ladybug?”

Marinette didn’t move for a moment, unsure of what to do. Then she sprang back and let out a high-pitched giggle. “What? Ladybug? Me? No way! I’m not…I’m not…” But he was looking at her like he looked at Ladybug and she suddenly found it hard to breathe. “Oh,” she breathed.

His smile grew, the light in him expanding until it lit her up as well. Then they were both laughing, relief coursing through them both.

Adrien hunched over, his hands on his knees, and Marinette wiped a tear from her face. When they had finally calmed down, he smiled at her. “Oh, my lady. How do we manage to get ourselves in the most complicated of situations?”

She grinned back. “Well, kitty, no need to worry. My lucky charm always gets us out of trouble.”

His eyes turned teasing as he questioned, “Really? Wouldn’t you say it didn’t work this time?”

“Oh no, _chaton_ , I would say it worked better than anytime before,” she replied, tapping his nose with her finger.

Mirth grew in his eyes, as he leaned closer, but there was also something else there. Something dangerous, because if it stayed there, Marinette knew she would be confessing her love for him in no time.

Coughing, she took a step back. His expressions stayed the same, though, as she said, “I hope you like the pastries, though.”

He grinned. “Of course I do. _My lady_ made them.”

She tried to ignore the blush on her face, but before she could retort, more students began entering the classroom. “We can continue this conversation later.”

Adrien smiled as he took the basket from her desk. “Oh, there’s no doubt we will.”

Ladybug swung through Paris, the wind whipping her pigtails back. She took a deep breath, a calm smile settling on her face. There was nothing quite like this, a sense of freedom that came from nothing else but this.

Landing on a rooftop, she turned to meet Chat Noir’s gaze. He grinned at her like a cat who caught the…well, the ladybug. A thrill rushed through her at his smile, despite the nerves playing with her stomach.

He caught her hand in his own and bent over at the waist, looking into her eyes as he brushed a slow, soft kiss against the back of her hand. Ladybug was on _fire_ , her face reddened more than ever before. “Hi, _Marinette._ I’ve been thinking about you all day.”

She pushed him away by the nose, trying to pretend he hadn’t affected her as much as he had. “You’re quite the flirt tonight, kitty.”

His grin grew. “Aren’t I always?”

She ignored him as she went to sit on the rooftops edge. A few seconds later, Chat Noir joined her, sitting so close his leg brushed against hers in the most tantalizing of ways. She stared out at the view in front of her.

Neither of them spoke for a few moments. There was a peaceful way between the two of them, in which so much could be said with no words at all. Ladybug knew her mother was more correct than she could ever know. She would never love another like him because there would never he another like him. He owned her heart, her soul, and yet she felt more freedom than she ever had before when she was near him.

“My mother used to say that nothing can ever compare to loving Paris,” Chat said, breaking the silence.

Her head snapped to look at him. She studied him. There was an almost sorrowful crinkle near his eyes, but a fond smile on his lips. He turned to her. “I can’t imagine she’d be saying that now, if she could see how much I love you.”

Ladybug was so startled she nearly fell off the roof, but Chat caught her, as he always did. He was so accurate, he had caught her heart before she had even realized it had fallen. And now it was his forever.

“Falling for me, my lady,” he asked, a teasing look in his eyes. Yet, beneath it all, there was a slight fear, like there was a chance she didn’t love him back. As if that could ever happen. How could he not see it in her eyes, in the very soul he owned so wholly?

But fear of her own entered her, and she wasn’t sure she could let him know of her own love. Ladybug could never be as direct or brave as Chat Noir. For all her strengths, she knew Chat was so unafraid even when he was aware he had so much to lose. It was one of the things she loved most about him.

Taking a deep breath, she looked back at the city. “Adrien,” she tested, and she felt him jolt next to her, overly aware of his gaze on her. She bit her lip. “What if your mother was right? We’re so young. We don’t know nearly enough about life, about love…” That wasn’t right, though. Despite their youth, Ladybug knew their love was a grand one, a true one, one that should never be doubted. Yet doubt she did.

Chat grasped her hands in his own. “Marinette, nothing in life is certain.” He took one of her hands and held it over his heart. It was faster than average, and she knew hers was the same. She met his gaze. “But this? You can always be certain that my love for you is true, is infinite, is something that will always exist.”

She felt her lips tremble, overwhelmed with the love in his eyes, the love he felt for her. She drew forward, saw the longing in his eyes. “I-”

A scream cut through the air. They parted, alert and looking around. In the distance, a crash sounded.

Ladybug buried the groan that threatened to escape her. It seemed this would have to wait. Giving Chat a regretful look, she swung away.

She had expected it to be delayed, but she hadn’t thought it would take this long. Nearly a week had passed, and Adrien made no more declarations of his love.

Alya had made it clear she saw the shift between them, a closeness that hadn’t been visible before, but Marinette shook her head. “We’re just friends, Alya.” It hurt, but it was the truth. They were just friends. Despite wanting to be more, they were just friends. Even if Alya didn’t believe her, even if it pained her, they were just friends.

Exchanged smiles, whispered conversations, and almost-accidental touches apparently were those of just friends. It was impossible. Still, she persisted.

At the mark of a week since his confession, Chat Noir arrived at her balcony. She stood suddenly when he dropped down beside her. But his smile was that of her kind friend, not the fiend who looked like he was one breath away from stealing a kiss from her.

Disappointment coursed through Marinette, but she turned, hoping it wouldn’t show. She sat back down on her lounge chair, and smiled at him. “What brings you here tonight, kitty?”

He sat next to her, and she opened an arm so he could lean into her. He did so without hesitation, his heat seeping into her. A chill went through her, and there was no wind to explain it away.

“I just wanted to see you, princess,” he said, as he placed an arm over her stomach. Somehow, impossibly, she felt even warmer than before.

“Oh,” she questioned softly. She buried a hand into his hair, fingers brushing through it softly as he detransfomed and Plagg disappeared inside to find Tikki.

They were silent for a moment, and it was a moment in which Marinette thought very thoroughly about the words she was about to speak. But Adrien was never fearful, never lied to her, and she had to offer the same. Taking a deep breath, she smiled. “You know, my mother used to tell me things about love too.”

He stilled slightly before leaning in closer to her. “Oh?”

She nodded slowly. “Yeah. I thought it was ridiculous at the time, until a fateful day in the rain. She said…” It was hard to say the truth. It was always hard, when the person with who you were being honest with already knew all your truths. He knew her better than anyone ever would, and it was terrifying to let him in completely. But she threw the fear aside, wanting Adrien to know of her feelings.

Adrien sat up slightly, his eyes looking into her own. “What would she say,” he gently encouraged.

She bit her lip, glancing away for a second. When she met his gaze again, however, she felt brave. She sat up as well, and now they were so close that both teens blushed. “She would tell me to beware of the kindest boys because they would steal my heart and make me love like never before and never again.”

His eyes brightened and he titled his head to hers. “Is that so,” he asked gently. She nodded slowly, and he continued. “I recall you saying I was the sweetest, kindest boy you ever knew.”

Marinette smiled. Her kitty was just as observant as she knew he would be. “I was wondering if you would remember.”

He cupped her face in between his hands and drew her in. “I remember everything you say, Marinette.” He said her name like a prayer, like a wish, like the most truthful thing he knew.

And there was no fear in her heart as she wrapped her arms around him. “I love you.”

His smile grew. “I’ll love you for the rest of time,” was his reply before he pulled her in until there was only an inch separating them. Adrien gave a teasing brush of his lips against hers before pulling away. “I was wondering how long it would take you to declare your undying love for me.”

Later, Marinette knew. Later there would be time for teasing, for more confessions, for the silences in which only they understood, and for the adventures they would share.

But right now there was only one thing she wanted, and so she leaned in again and said, “Adrien?”

“Yeah,” he asked, breathless, as he watched her lips.

And her reply was a kiss.


End file.
